The Palestine Chronology

The IDF continues Operation Rainbow, moving deeper into Rafah, killing 8 Palestinians (including Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades local cmdr. Khalid Abu Azna, who is assassinated in a helicopter air strike), detaining 70, bulldozing at least 1 Palestinian home, knocking down a small zoo (killing some animals, freeing others); the IDF admits it has found no smugglers’ tunnels since the start of the operation. The IDF also assassinates Qalqilya Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades leader Mazin Yasin; opens fire on stone-throwing youths in Hebron (killing a 13-yr.-old Palestinian), Qalqilya; conducts arrest raids in Jenin, Khan Yunis, Qalqilya. Another 13-yr.-old Palestinian dies of injures sustained during the 5/11 IDF raid on Gaza City. An Israeli court convicts West Bank Fatah secy., Palestinian Council (PC) mbr., and tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti on 5 counts of murder in connection with 3 AMB shooting attacks in 2001–2, acquits him on 21 other counts for lack of evidence; Barghouti was detained in 4/02. (MM, REU 5/20; HA, ITAR-TASS, JP, MA, VOI, VOP, YA 5/20 in WNC 5/22; MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/21; PR 5/26; PCHR, WJW 5/27; MEI 5/28; PR 6/2)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a car bomb nr. a Jewish settler school bus in the West Bank, killing himself but causing no other injuries. Palestinians also fire 2 mortars at a Kefar Darom settlement in Gaza. Inside the Green Line, Israeli police find, safely detonate a bomb in Netanya. The IDF shells a PSF office in Gaza, residential areas of Khan Yunis; bulldozes Palestinian land in Khan Yunis; conducts an arrest sweep in Jalazun. Jewish settlers set fire to a Palestinian olive grove in Salfit, destroying 50 trees. (WP 4/30; LAW 5/4)

Arafat orders the popular resistance comms. to disband and their mbrs. (most of whom are Fatah mbrs., some of whom are PSF officers) to "return to their original security positions," calls senior PSF officer Yasir Zanun (a Fatah mbr. and a leader of the resistance comms.) in for questioning, has the PSF arrest Hamas spokesman `Abd al-`Aziz Rantisi for statements accusing Arafat of treason for resuming security talks with Israel. Fatah tanzim leader Barghouti, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PFLP strongly oppose disbanding the resistance comms. (WP 4/30; AYM 5/1 in WNC 5/3; WJW 5/3; SA 5/3 in WNC 5/4; MEI 5/4 WP 5/7; MEI 5/18)

Israeli FM Peres presents Israel's response to the Jordanian-Egyptian proposal to Mubarak in Cairo, Jordanian FM Khatib in Amman. Egypt, Jordan say they will study Israel's reservations and proposed changes, but they are not willing start a new process of "talks about talks." (MENA 4/29 in WNC 4/30; HA, NYT, WP 4/30; HA, MM 5/1; AYM 5/1 in WNC 5/3; MM 5/2; MEI, MM 5/4)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. The largest demonstrations are in Ramallah, where 2,000 Palestinian artists, intellectuals stage a nonviolent protest, and students attempt to open the road to Birzeit University, where spring registration begins today. In the ensuing clash soldiers fatally shoot 1 Palestinian who was standing next to Fatah tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti, raising speculation that Barghouti was the target. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of Jinin, Rafah (severely damaging a mosque); bulldozes 4 dunams of Palestinian land nr. Rafah. A Palestinian assailant throws a hand grenade at an IDF post in Gaza, causing no injuries. Israel tightens the siege on Ramallah but eases blockades on Bethlehem, Hebron, Qalqilya, Tulkarm. Later in the day, after shooting nr. Qalqilya, the blockade on Qalqilya is reimposed. (HA 3/12; HA, JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/13; Interfax, MA, MENA 3/13 in WNC 3/14; HA 3/14; WJW 3/15; CSM 3/16; LAW 3/17)

After several more hrs. of talks among Arafat, Barak, Clinton, Mubarak, King Abdallah, Annan, and Solana, Clinton announces that Arafat, Barak have agreed on steps toward halting the clashes. No details are released. The agmts. are oral and reportedly are vague, not giving an order of who is to take what step 1st. The sides agree that Clinton will appoint an international inquiry comm. to investigate the recent clashes. The U.S. for the 1st time acknowledges that Arafat "may not have control of everything" but still says it expects a cessation of violence "within hours." (AFP [Internet], MM, REU 10/17; ATL, Interfax, MENA, RL 10/17 in WNC 10/18; LAW, NYT, WP, WT, YA 10/18; JT, al-Quds, SA 10/18, Le Monde 10/19 in WNC 10/19; WJW 10/19; JP 10/20; MEI 10/27; MA 11/6 in WNC 11/9)

Meanwhile, Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate. Nr. Itamar settlement, Jewish settlers open fire on a Palestinian family harvesting their olive crop, killing 1, wounding 3. A PA policeman is killed by IDF fire in Gaza. A 3d Palestinian dies of injuries received earlier. Palestinian gunmen fire at Gilo settlement, critically wounding an Israeli border policeman. IDF tanks fire on the neighboring Palestinian village of Bayt Jala in retaliation. Settlers fr. Itamar fire on Palestinian homes in neighboring Hawara village, attack a Palestinian ambulance driver. (ADM, LAW, MM, PCHR, REU 10/17; MENA 10/17, al-Quds 10/18, MA 10/19 in WNC 10/19; ADM, Bahrain Tribune [Internet], CSM, HA [Internet], LAW, NYT, WP, WT 10/18; WJW 10/19; HJ 10/24, MENA 10/25 in WNC 10/30)

Hamas's Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, West Bank Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti say their supporters will continue the uprising despite the Sharm agmts. The DFLP, Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine issue similar statements. Palestinians in Bethlehem, Gaza City, Nablus, Qalqilya, Ramallah demonstrate against the Sharm mtg. 1,000s of Egyptian students in Cairo, 7,000 Palestinian refugees in Tripoli, Lebanon, hold similar demonstrations. A rally in solidarity with the Palestinian people is held in New York. (ADM, LAW, MM, PCHR, REU 10/17; RMC 10/17 in WNC 10/18; MENA 10/17, al-Quds 10/18, MA 10/19 in WNC 10/19; ADM, Bahrain Tribune [Internet], CSM, HA [Internet], LAW, NYT, WP, WT 10/18; WJW 10/19; HJ 10/24, MENA 10/25 in WNC 10/30)